Release My Heart

by Carrot Top

-IN PROGRESS AGAIN- The seeress told Signe she was destined for great things. She would raid and see the world. She would fall in love with a warrior and have many children. When she fell in love with Bjorn Ragnarsson, she was certain he was the one she was meant to experience these things with. But then she went to Kattegat, where she met Torstein. And soon everything changed.

20. Chapter Nineteen

I apologize profusely for the wait! Thank you so much for all your support and kind words! I hope you enjoy this chaper!

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Vikings, only the OC's.

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Chapter Nineteen

Signe was in for a rude awakening the next morning.

"Wake up, sister!" Gunnar practically shouted in her face, shaking her none too gently by the shoulders at the same time.

Signe's eyes popped open in shock, before swinging up to her brother, who was hovering over her. Seeing as she was not fully awake yet, she was not sure why he had woken her so loudly or abruptly, which had her frowning up at him with confusion. "Vhat is wrong?" she asked, her voice hoarse with sleep. "Has something happened?"

"Nothing is wrong," Gunnar said, grinning now. "In fact, this is going to be a wonderful day! We are going home today!" he reminded her, shaking her again in his enthusiasm. "I vant to leave as soon as possible, so get up and get moving around so that we can be on our way! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" he chanted, jostling her each time.

"Alright, alright!" Signe finally said, frowning in annoyance now. "I am awake, so stop shaking me!" she demanded, trying her best to make him release his grip on her and push him away.

Gunnar chuckled, unfazed by her reaction, and ruffled her hair a little too roughly for Signe's taste. She swatted at his hand but missed, which just had Gunnar laughing even more. Finally, he decided to leave her alone and stood to walk away. Signe heaved, rubbed her face, then, when she became certain of the fact that she would not be getting back to sleep, she decided she might as well get up and get the day started.

Torstein was already awake and making breakfast, and as their eyes met, he shrugged apologetically. "I told him to let you sleep, but he did not listen," he said.

As Signe looked at him, the only thing she could think of for a moment was the fact that he had kissed her the night before, and that it had been a very good kiss. She shook her head to clear her mind, telling herself that it was just a kiss and that she shouldn't allow it to be any sort of distraction. Still, that did not stop her from blushing slightly and giving him a shy smile as she went to join him by the fire he had rekindled for the purposes of cooking their breakfast.

"I am not surprised. Gunnar rarely listens to anyone," she said with a shrug. "He is rather on the stubborn side, in case you had not noticed."

Torstein smirked and handed her a small plate of food. "Sounds like someone else I know," he said, giving her a pointed look that was impossible to misunderstand.

Signe, who knew he was referring to herself, said nothing to that, just gave him a look as she accepted her breakfast. Torstein chuckled at her response, then turned his attention back to the fire.

As annoyed as Signe had been with her brother for how rudely he had woken her, the feeling quickly melted away once they were all sitting around the fire and eating breakfast together. She could not help but share Gunnar's enthusiasm at knowing they were mere hours away from seeing their family again, which had her grinning and talking excitedly with her brother before she knew it. To make matters even better, things between her and Torstein felt a lot better now that they had talked things through a little more. Signe did not feel anywhere near as awkward as she had felt the past few days, and she was happy to say that she could actually talk to him without turning into a blushing, stuttering fool. Admittedly, the kiss they had shared was never far from her mind, but things felt normal again, which was a huge relief.

When breakfast had been consumed, they made quick work of taking down their temporary camp, the excitement over their last day of travel permeating the air around them.

"I propose we ride through lunch," Gunnar said as he fixed his travelling pack to his horse. "If we do not stop, we can be home by noon."

"I do not mind eating on the road if it vill save us time," Torstein agreed with a nod.

"Nor do I," Signe chimed in as she readied her own horse. "But I do wish to stop in town before continuing on home," she added.

Gunnar stopped what he was doing and turned to face her, his frown immediate. "Why?"

The answer to his question was simple – she wanted to talk to the Seeress, and she wanted to do so as quickly as possible so that she could stop driving herself mad trying to decide whether or not she was going to accept Torstein's proposal. She didn't want to tell Gunnar that, however, because she still wasn't ready to tell him that Torstein had proposed marriage in the first place.

"I need to speak with the Völva," she answered vaguely.

"About what?" Gunnar demanded.

"None of your business," she countered briskly.

Gunnar heaved and gave her a look of disapproval. "Can you not speak with her another day?" he asked, his tone in the verge of whining. "I vant to go home."

"And we are going home," Signe reminded him. "But we vill be passing through town along the way and it is important that I speak with the Seeress, so I do not see the harm in making one brief stop. You have already been away from home for over a month. An extra hour or so vill not kill you," she said with raised brows.

"It might," Gunnar countered immaturely.

Signe rolled her eyes. "I am not going to argue with you about this, brother. We are stopping in town, and that is that," she informed him with an authoritative nod.

Gunnar looked unhappy, but did not argue any further. Grumbling under his breath, he turned back to his horse to finish securing his traveling pack. Signe took the moment to glance at Torstein, who was gazing back at her silently as he finished rolling up his bedroll. Signe gave him a small smile, which he returned, before redirecting her attention back to her horse to finish checking over her saddle.

Once they were on the road, they kept up a quick, steady pace so as to reach Hedeby as quickly as possible. They did not stop for lunch as previously agreed upon and ate on the road so as not to slow their progress. It was a decision that ended up being a rewarding one in the end – just as the sun reached its highest point in the sky, they finally rounded the top of a hill and, at long last, Hedeby came into view.

As strangely as Signe had felt about returning to Hedeby, there was no denying the satisfaction and relief that swelled in her chest when her eyes landed upon the familiar village. After being away for nearly two months, she was finally home again. She smiled widely and looked over at Gunnar, who smiled back despite having spent most of the morning being grumpy with her for wanting to make an extra stop before going home. She then shifted her attention to Torstein, who was gazing at the village that lay in the distance with interest. In that moment, Signe was swiftly and vividly reminded of just what she planned to do in Hedeby now that they were back – sit down with the Völva and discuss whether or not Torstein was the man the Gods had intended for her to marry. She couldn't stop the nervousness that shot through her belly at the thought.

"Come on, then," Gunnar said, pulling his horse forward. "Let us get this visit with the Völva over with so that we can be on our way!"

Gunnar trotted off without another glance back, leaving Signe and Torstein alone for a moment. Torstein turned a questioning look on her, his brows raising slightly. "You are certain you vant to do this now?" he asked. "It can wait a little longer if you vould prefer it. There is no rush."

Signe sucked in a breath, then shook her head. "I do not vant to wait. I need to speak with her now and see if she can help me decide what to do."

Torstein nodded slowly. "Alright, then."

They followed Gunnar after that, and it wasn't long at all before they had caught up to him. The three of them reached town quickly enough, and though the familiar sights and sounds of Hedeby normally would have brought her comfort on some sort of level, she was too nervous over her impending talk with the Völva to feel it now. They navigated the familiar paths, waving and smiling whenever people they knew called out happy greetings to them, until they finally reached the Völva's hut. Signe and Gunnar pulled their horses to a halt and dismounted, Torstein quickly following their lead. While Signe looked at the hut as though it would turn into a giant snake and devour her whole, Torstein gazed at it with great interest. Gunnar, on the other hand, just looked impatient.

"Make it as quick as you can," he instructed, pushing her not so discreetly toward the door.

Signe nodded, then watched as Gunnar went off to talk to someone that he knew. Again, she and Torstein found themselves alone, and again, she found herself looking to him for…something. Perhaps it was encouragement, or maybe just general moral support.

"I vill be right here," he told her with a nod.

It was enough to give her the push she needed to go inside. Signe nodded and gave him a nervous smile, before looking to the door of the hut. Then, after sucking in a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she pushed the door open and stepped into the Völva's hut.

The inside of the hut looked and smelled exactly as it always did. It was dimly lit and a little smoky, with strange trinkets hanging from the ceiling and a slightly foul smell in the air. Movement in the corner drew Signe's attention, and when she glanced that way she saw the Völva standing there with her back turned to her. It was hard to see what she was doing at first, but when the strange woman finally turned around, Signe saw that she was holding a dead, half-skinned rabbit in her hands. The Völva's black-painted lips pulled into a smile as she stepped closer, her long dark hair and dark robes flowing around her.

"Signe Olegdóttir," she said in greeting. "Shut the door and come further inside."

Signe did as she was told, quietly shutting the door to the hut and moving closer to the Völva, noting that the woman smelled of herbs and, faintly, blood. The Seeress set down the rabbit she had been skinning and beckoned Signe to follow her to two chairs next to the hearth. Once they were both settled in, the Völva leaned casually against the back of her chair, the smile never once falling from her lips. It reminded Signe of the way the Völva had smiled in her dream the night before – it made her feel as if the woman knew something she did not, which, in actuality, was entirely too possible.

"You seem unsurprised to see me," Signe commented after a few beats of silence.

The Völva nodded. "I knew the battle vould not claim you. I knew you vould return. And I knew when you did, you vould come to me," she said knowingly. "No doubt your…experiences…in Kattegat have left you with many questions for me," she added with a raise of her dark eyebrows.

Signe nodded slowly. "You are not incorrect," she readily admitted. "Much has happened since I have left Hedeby. Some of it good. Some of it…not."

The Völva sat straighter in her chair, her eyes trained intently on Signe. "Do continue," she prompted, waving one pale, tattooed hand.

Signe sighed and turned her eyes to the fire, unsure where she should start. Finally, she decided to start from the beginning. "I nearly lost my brother in battle," she said, frowning as the memory of finding Gunnar lying half dead on the battlefield rapidly resurged. "He vas…grievously wounded. We thought he vould die."

"But he did not," the Völva contributed. "You saved him."

"I did," Signe agreed, nodding. "It was one of the most challenging things I have ever done, but I refused to lose him. I did everything I had to in order to save his life."

"And you did very well," the Völva said approvingly. "You have a talent for a healing, a talent I recall your mother possessing as well," she said. "It is something that vill serve you well as time goes on," she added with a firm nod. Signe nodded in understanding. "Vhat did you think of Kattegat?" the Völva then asked, moving on with the conversation.

Signe felt herself smile. "I liked it there," she admitted. "I felt…free there. Like I had finally stepped out from the shadow of my brothers and was my own woman." Signe then thought of Torstein and Hilda, who had been a large part of the reason why her stay in Kattegat had been so enjoyable. "I have good friends there, too. Friends who made it very difficult to leave."

"It is Bjorn you speak of?" the Völva asked, tiling her head.

Signe frowned at the mention of Bjorn and shook her head. "Yes and no," she said quietly. "He is my friend still, yes…but something changed between us vhile we were in Kattegat together," she said with a shake of her head. "And not for the better."

The Völva nodded slowly and gave her an inquisitive look. "Vhat happened?" she asked.

Something about the glint in her dark eyes hinted to Signe that the Völva already knew, but she decided to answer the question anyway. "I decided it wise to tell him the truth of my feelings. He did not reciprocate them," she answered bluntly.

The Völva nodded again and turned her eyes to the fire. "The Gods have given Bjorn Ragnarsson an interesting path to walk," she said, reaching out to the flames to touch them with her fingertips. "You vill walk much of that path with him, Signe," she said. The Seeress looked to Signe again, her fingertips still continuing to dance through the flames. "…though perhaps not in the way you so desire," she concluded with a knowing look.

Signe felt her heart clench at those words. "He is not the man the Gods intended for me, is he?" she decided to ask outright, despite being afraid to know the answer.

The Völva looked at her for a long second, before tilting her head. "There is a wife in Bjorn's future," she said. "But that woman is not you."

It was exactly what she had thought she would hear, but that did not make the blow any less painful. It was as Signe had feared – Bjorn would never feel for her the way that she felt for him. Their paths might be entwined and they may be destined to be in one another's lives, but they were not to do as lovers. Only as comrades. Only as friends.

Signe shook her head and heaved heavily, trying hard to quell the ache in her chest. She had wanted so desperately to be wrong. She had wanted to cling to that hope that Bjorn might someday change his mind and realize that he did love her as more than a friend. Now, however, it was clear that wasn't going to happen. The Völva noticed her reaction, of course, and leaned closer to pin her with a stare.

"You are disappointed," she observed.

Signe gave the woman an annoyed look. "Of course I am," she said, trying not to sound angry. "I am in love with a man I can never have."

The Völva actually laughed, which had Signe frowning with uncertainty. What about all of this, exactly, was funny? "You know nothing of being in love, Signe Olegdóttir," the Seeress stated matter-of-factly. "Not yet, anyway," she added with an air of mystery.

Signe frowned deeper, unable to tell if the Seeress was purposefully trying to insult her or not. "Vhat do you mean, Völva?" she demanded to know.

"I meant exactly vhat I said," he Völva replied sharply. "You may have learned a thing or two vhile you were away, but there is still so much more to learn, shieldmaiden."

Signe was beginning to feel frustrated. This was why she despised visiting with the Völva. Most of the time she never received the answers she wanted, but instead found herself feeling even more confused by the strange woman's ambiguous and unsatisfying responses. It was to the point that she truly believed the Völva was intentionally vague, simply because it humored her to drive Signe to madness.

"I can see I have upset you," the Völva remarked with a smirk.

Signe scoffed. "You confuse me," she said honestly. "You alvays leave with me with more questions than I arrived with."

"Perhaps it is because you are not asking the correct questions, shieldmaiden," the Völva countered. "You speak of this and that, but shy away from the things you truly want to know about," she accused knowingly. "We both know why you came here today, and it was not to speak of Bjorn or Kattegat. So how about we cease wasting one another's precious time and you speak to me about vhat has truly been weighing on your mind," the Völva then suggested.

Signe pressed her lips together, feeling a little foolish for having been caught beating around the bush. Her eyes unconsciously turned to the door, which Torstein was undoubtedly still waiting on the other side of. When she looked back to the Völva, the woman was watching her with intent, unblinking eyes, just waiting for her to come out with it.

"A man has proposed marriage to me," Signe finally said, getting right to the point now.

"Oh?" the Völva said, perhaps a bit too casually.

Signe narrowed her eyes. "Do not act surprised. You knew this vould happen."

The Völva smiled innocently. "You do not know if you wish to marry this man?" she asked, ignoring Signe's previous accusation.

Signe sighed and shook her head. "I do not," she confirmed. "He is a good man. A good friend. He helped me greatly in Kattegat," she explained. "There is a part of me that vants to say yes, that knows he vould be a good husband and that he would treat me well. But when I spoke to you before the battle against Jarl Borg, you said that I vould fall in love with and marry a great warrior," Signe then reminded her. "It leaves me with doubts, for though he is a great warrior, I do not love him. And if I do not love him, then how could he be the one you told me of?"

The Völva began to slowly shake her head. "You are wrong," she said.

Signe frowned. "About what?"

"I said that you vould fall in love, and I said that you vould marry," the Völva said slowly. "But I did not say that the man you married vould be the man you loved," she added meaningfully.

Signe had to blink in surprise. She realized the Völva was right – the woman hadn't said that the man she would marry would be the man she loved. Signe had simply construed her words to mean as such on her own accord.

"So…it was Torstein that you saw?" she asked. "He is the man the Gods intended for me, then? Even though I am not in love with him?"

The Völva looked at her for a long moment, then shrugged a skinny shoulder. "Not everyone is so lucky as to marry for love, shieldmaiden," she pointed out. "But know this – just because there is no love now, that does not mean love is entirely impossible," she added. "It can happen, so long as you release your heart and open it to the possibility."

It wasn't really the direct, definitive answer Signe had been looking for, but knowing the Völva and her fondness for never outright confirming anything, Signe knew it was the best answer she was going to get. She felt she could safely say that it was Torstein that the seeress had seen in her future, which meant that he had to be the man the Gods wished to be her husband. If that was the case, then there really wasn't much more for her to think about, was there? These were not the circumstances that she had wished to marry under, but if her fate was destined to be tied to Torstein's, could she really ignore that?

"The Gods do not wish for me to tell you any more," the Völva said, making Signe focus on her again. "But I vill tell you this, Signe Olegdóttir. The Gods are impressed with you," she said with a nod. "They vill not lead you astray. Trust them, Signe. Alvays trust them."

The Völva held her hand out after that, extending it palm up toward Signe. It was the clear signal that their conversation, brief as it had been, was over. Signe hesitated, then leaned forward to lick the woman's palm. The seeress smirked, closing her hand after Signe had finished, then nodded to the door.

"Go. I am certain the man waiting outside vill be eager to hear what you have decided," she said, her smirk growing into a meaningful grin.

Signe nodded once, then, without saying anything, she stood from her chair and went to the door. Just as she went to push it open, the Völva's voice stopped her.

"Remember vhat I said, shieldmaiden," she said, making Signe freeze and glance back. "Trust the Gods," the Völva repeated.

It was exactly what the Völva had said to her the last time they had spoken, so Signe replied exactly as she had then. "I always do."

The Völva only smiled in return.

Signe finally left the hut, breathing in deeply once she was out on the fresh air to try to rid her nose of the strange scents that filled the Völva's hut. As the door swung closed behind her, she looked to where she had left Torstein. He had been sitting on a crate while he waited for her to return, and the moment he caught sight of her, he was on his feet and coming over to speak to her.

"That was quick," he commented, glancing to the door. "Did she help you as you had hoped?" he then asked, raising his brows at her.

Signe blinked at him, then nodded. "I believe so, yes."

Torstein nodded, his expression quite serious now. "And?" he prompted.

Signe hesitated before answering, her mind swirling with one last moment of indecision. "Torstein – " she began to say.

"Finished already?" a new voice interrupted before she could say anything more. Both Signe and Torstein looked over to Gunnar, who had left whatever conversation he had been having to rejoin them. "Everything sorted then?" he asked once he was standing with them.

Signe glanced at Torstein, who actually seemed a little frustrated with Gunnar's interference. "Yes," she said, nodded at her brother.

"Good," Gunnar said, oblivious to the slight tension in the air. "Let us go then. I do not vant to waste one more moment."

He left them again, this time to climb atop his horse. Once he was settled, he turned expectant eyes on them, clearly waiting for them to do the same so they could get a move on. Signe sighed and looked to Torstein with apology – any chance of them being able to talk things through had gotten effectively squashed, which meant they would have to wait until another time.

"We will speak later. I promise," she told him, speaking just loud enough for only him to hear her.

Torstein managed a half smile and nodded, though she could tell that he was a little disappointed. "Of course," he said.

Then they quickly climbed back atop their horses, and after shooting one last lingering look at the Völva's hut over her shoulder, the three of them were soon on their way.

---

It was just under half an hour's ride to Valborg's house, and when his quaint hone finally came into view, Signe forgot all about the Völva, their conversation, and Torstein's proposal. Happiness and excitement unlike she had ever known before rushed through her, and she could not help but share a huge grin of anticipation with Gunnar as she realized that they were only mere moments from being reunited with their eldest brother.

As they drew closer to the home of their eldest brother, they were able to see a tall figure with auburn hair chopping wood just outside the small, cozy house. Signe knew in an instant that it was Valborg, and the feeling that consumed her at seeing him again after so long made tears start to fill her eyes. Unable to contain herself, she dug her heels into the flanks of her horse to make the animal move faster. The move pulled a whinny from the large horse, which finally caught Valborg's attention and alerted him to their approach. He paused with his axe in mid swing and looked toward them, raising a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun. He seemed to not know who was coming at first, but Signe could tell the exact moment he realized it was them – his expression turned to one of shock, before he grinned widely, tossed his axe aside, and then came hurrying out onto the road to meet them.

When she was only about twenty feet from Valborg, Signe pulled on the reigns to bring her horse to a halt. The large animal had barely had time to come to a complete stop before she was hastily climbing down from the saddle, stumbling in her eagerness to get to her brother. By now, Valborg was jogging toward her, and once Signe had both feet on the ground, she took off running to meet him.

"Valborg!" she cried, grinning like an idiot.

"Signe!" he called back, lengthening his strides as he ran even faster.

They finally met, and Signe wasted no time to launch herself into her brother's waiting arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck in a vice grip, laughing as he hugged her so fiercely that it was almost difficult to breathe. Valborg laughed, too, then lifted her clear off her feet and twirled her around in his excitement. He smelled of horses and sweat and home, and as the familiar scent invaded her senses, she could not stop the tears that welled up in her eyes again. By the Gods, she had missed him so much. Signe hugged him even tighter, burying her face into his hair, which was the exact same shade of auburn as her own. She had yearned for this moment for so long, and now that it was finally upon her, there were now words to describe the joy she felt.

Valborg set her on her feet and released her so that he could place his hands on her shoulders. He was smiling like mad, his eyes looking a little glossier than normal as they swept her from head to toe, as if searching or any differences in her appearance. She reached up to clasp his forearms tightly, smiling just as widely as him.

"Dear sister," he said, squeezing her shoulders. "I have prayed to the Gods every day for your safe return. There are no words to describe how happy I am to see you!"

"I am just as happy to see you, brother," she insisted with a nod. "I have missed you so much."

"Just as I have missed you, Signe," Valborg said.

They hugged again, clutching to each other tightly. They only separated when Gunnar and Torstein finally caught up to them a few seconds later. Upon seeing that his younger brother was alive and well, Valborg let out a massive sigh of relief and closed his eyes, muttering a few words of thanks to the Gods that Signe only could hear because she was standing so close to him. Gunnar was a bit slower to get down from his horse due to his still healing body, but once he was on his own two feet, he and Valborg moved to hug one another fiercely, pounding each other on the backs as they embraced.

"My brother," Valborg said, placing his hands on either side of Gunnar's neck. "I knew you still lived," he said with a firm nod. "I knew you would not leave us."

"Of course I still live," Gunnar insisted with a smirk. "I am not that easy to be rid of."

Valborg laughed and hugged Gunnar again, slapping his back once more. He then looked to Signe and motioned her closer, which she did not hesitate to do. Valborg soon had both of them in his arms, and for a long few seconds, the three of them were content to merely stand there and hug each other close. Finally, they separated, and when they did, Valborg looked between the two of them eagerly.

"We have so much to discuss. There is so much I must tell you, and so much that I vant to know about the battle and your time in Kattegat," he said. "But if I do not take you to father straight away, he vill kill me," he continued with a smirk. "Father, Hallsteinn, and Garik have been so worried for the two of you. They vill be absolutely beside themselves now that you have returned."

"Yes, we vill go," Signe agreed. "But before anything else is said, how is Inge?" she asked eagerly, reaching out to squeeze Valborg's hand. "Is she well? Has the baby come?"

Valborg grinned proudly. "Inge gave birth to our child shortly after Hallsteinn and Garik returned home. Both are healthy and doing splendidly," he revealed with a nod.

It was the exact news that she had been hoping to hear. Signe could not hold back a cry of relief and hugged Valborg again, while Gunnar slapped their brother on the back and told him congratulations. Valborg laughed and accepted their praise, hugging Signe tightly and nodding to Gunnar, practically radiating happiness.

It was in the next moment that Valborg finally noticed Torstein lingering quietly in the background, doing his best not to interrupt the happy reunion taking place. Valborg released Signe and raised his brows at Torstein, who had dismounted his horse and was holding onto the reigns of all their horses so that they would not run away. Valborg gave him a once over, then nodded toward him questioningly.

"And who is this fellow?" he asked curiously.

Signe, who, admittedly, had forgotten about Torstein for a moment, turned to give him a small smile and motioned him forward. He nodded and stepped forward, only stopping once he stood before Valborg. The two were just about the same size and height, though Valborg might have had just a little more muscle on him than Torstein did.

"Valborg, this is our friend, Torstein," she introduced. "Torstein, this is our oldest brother, Valborg."

Valborg seemed surprised at first, until his expression turned to one of recognition, which confused Signe a little. "Torstein, you say?" he asked, before smirking widely and extending a hand to the man. "Well, I have heard much about you," he said, and though he was chuckling, something about the look in his eyes hinted that whatever he had heard, it had not been anything good.

Torstein frowned a little, but shook Valborg's hand nonetheless. "Do I wish to know where – or rather whom – you have heard about me from?" he asked with skepticism.

"I think you may already know exactly who I have heard about you from," Valborg deduced. "And let me just say – Hallsteinn vill be thrilled to see you again," he added with a sarcastic smirk.

Signe blinked, then heaved and rolled her eyes. "Please tell me that overprotective fool has not been complaining about Torstein all this time," she said with annoyance.

"I could tell you that," Valborg said as he and Torstein released hands. "It vould be a lie, though," Valborg added with a shrug. When Signe cursed under her breath, Valborg patted her on the shoulder. "Do not worry, I know how Hallsteinn likes to embellish his stories," he assured her. "I am sure your friend here is not half as bad as our brother has made him out to be."

His words were meant to placate her, but it didn't quite work. The fact that Hallsteinn had come home and badmouthed Torstein to Valborg – and, more than likely, their father – should not have come as a surprise. He was, after all, the brother who was most protective of her, and he had certainly not been shy in expressing his dislike of Torstein in Kattegat, so why would he be shy about it here? It frustrated her, however, that he had come home and spread only the Gods knew what sort of things about Torstein. She did not want Valborg or their father to think badly of him, especially so considering all that he had done for her and all that had transpired between them the last few days.

She started to open her mouth to tell Valborg not to believe anything that Hallsteinn had said about Torstein, but before she could, the door to Valborg's house opened and a familiar, blonde haired figure stepped out. Ingelill paused just outside the door, grinning widely with tears streaming down her cheeks. Obviously she had seen them through the window before coming outside. Upon seeing her sister-in-law, Signe forgot about her frustration with Hallsteinn and hurried over to meet her, feeling tears welling up in her eyes yet again.

"Inge!"

When she was close enough, Signe started to wrap her arms around her in a tight hug. She froze, however, when she realized that Ingelill was carrying a small, wrapped up bundle in her arms. Signe's heart skipped a beat in her chest, then began to hammer against her ribs.

"Is that – ?" she started to ask, pointing to the small bundle with a shaky finger.

"Your niece," Ingelill confirmed with a nod and watery smile.

Hearing the word niece had Signe pressing her lips together tightly to keep from crying. A lump formed in her throat as she stepped even closer to get a better look. Without hesitation, Ingelill extended the baby toward her, silently offering her to hold the girl. Signe blinked, then took the infant carefully and held her close to her chest, finally able to get a good look at her face. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful baby Signe had ever seen. Her eyes were closed as she slept, so it was hard to say what color they were, but her skin was fair and soft, and there were tufts of auburn hair atop her head that she had obviously inherited from Valborg. Signe felt her heart swell with love for the child instantly, and there was no stopping the tears of happiness that slid down her cheeks as she held the girl tighter.

"She is beautiful," Signe said, before smiling at Ingelill. "Just like her mother."

Ingelill blushed at the compliment, but still smiled gratefully. "We named her Gunnhild, after your mother," she revealed.

Signe grinned at the choice. "A strong name for an undoubtedly strong girl," she said with a nod of approval.

Gunnar came to join them, and after hugging Ingelill and kissing her cheek, he turned eager eyes to the baby in Signe's arms. Signe kissed Gunnhild on her soft forehead and then passed the girl to her brother so that he could hold her. Gunnhild looked even tinier in Gunnar's strong arms, and between how carefully he cradled her and how lovingly he looked down at her, Signe couldn't help but smile.

"Hello, little beauty," Gunnar cooed affectionately. "I am your uncle. I know you have a few uncles already, but know that I am the best and the most good looking," he said with a smile.

Signe and Ingelill laughed at his words, before looking to each other. They finally moved to hug one another tightly, both sniffling from their tears of happiness as they squeezed one another. Considering the last time Signe had seen Ingelill she had still been enormously pregnant, it was strange to hug her now and not feel a large, pregnant belly between them.

"I am so happy you and Gunnar have returned," Ingelill said in her ear. "I have worried for you, and I have missed you. It has simply not been the same here vithout the two of you."

"I have missed you as well," Signe said. "I thought of you and the baby constantly. I am so happy you are both doing well," she said, nodding earnestly.

Ingelill smiled as she released Signe and sighed a little. "The delivery was long and painful, I will admit that," she said. "But having Gunnhild here now makes it all worth it," she added with a fond smile toward her daughter.

"Of that I have no doubt," Signe agreed. "The Gods have blessed you and Valborg."

Ingelill nodded, then glanced at something behind Signe. Signe looked to see what had captured her attention and noticed that Valborg and Torstein were talking to one another a little ways away. Unlike the way her other brothers had behaved upon first meeting him, she was relieved to see that Valborg seemed to be treating Torstein with normal friendliness. She supposed that wasn't much of a surprise, though – Valborg had always been the most levelheaded of her brothers and tended to have a talent for befriending people.

"Who is that man?" Ingelill asked with interest, lowering her voice so as not to be overheard.

"His name is Torstein. We became friends in Kattegat," Signe told her. "He volunteered to travel back with us to ensure we arrived in Hedeby safely."

Ingelill quirked a brow, then gave Torstein an obvious once over. "He is handsome," she whispered with an almost conspiratorial smile.

Signe glanced back at Torstein and flashed a small smile when their eyes met. Clearing her throat, she turned back to Ingelill, who was glancing back and forth between her and Torstein. "Yes, he is," Signe agreed quietly.

Before Ingelill could say anything else, Valborg and Torstein finished whatever conversation they were having and Valborg came over to join them. "We should go to father's," he said with a nod, his eyes glancing back and forth between Signe and Gunnar. "Inge and I vill accompany you all there. No doubt there is going to be quite a celebration tonight now that you have returned home, and we vould not miss it for the world," he said with a grin.

The thought of seeing her father, Hallsteinn, and Garik next had Signe's excitement returning full force. One look at Gunnar let her know he was feeling the same – no doubt he was bursting at the seams to be with his twin again.

Gunnar and Signe were happy to babysit Gunnhild while Valborg and Ingelill got ready to head to the family house only a short distance away. After they had changed, grabbed a few things for Gunnhild and some food to contribute to dinner that night, they were soon on their way. They travelled by foot this time around so that they could chat easily while they traveled and not disturb Gunnhild too much. Signe walked between Valborg and Ingelill, happily carrying her niece in her arms, while Gunnar walked on the other side of Valborg and led this horse by the reins. Torstein was behind them, leading his and her horse.

"What has been happening here while we have been away?" Gunnar asked Valborg as they walked the familiar path to their father's house. "Anything of interest?"

Valborg shared a look with Ingelill before raising his brows at Gunnar. "I suppose that depends," he said. "Vould you consider Earl Sigvard being killed to be a matter of interest?"

Signe and Gunnar both looked at their brother with shock. "What?" they asked at the same time. "Earl Sigvard is dead?" Signe asked. "How?"

"Lagertha killed him," Valborg answers bluntly.

Now even Torstein was looking at him with shock. "Why vould Lagertha kill her husband?" he asked with confusion.

"Sigvard was furious with her for going to Earl Ragnar's aid. When she returned to Hedeby, he punished her severely," Valborg began to explain. "Men broke into her home while she was sleeping and beat her to a pulp at Sigvard's orders."

Signe shared an outraged look with Torstein over her shoulder. She had never cared much for Earl Sigvard, but this just drove home how truly horrible he had been. "What a bastard," she hissed.

"Indeed," Valborg agreed, looking rather disgusted with the former Earl himself. "He got what he deserved in the end. Lagertha killed him herself when he attempted to humiliate her in front of his entire hall. There were not many who were sad to see him go, either," Valborg concluded.

"Who is Earl now?" Gunnar asked.

Valborg smirked. "Who do you think?" he countered.

Signe knew at once who had stepped onto that role. "Lagertha," she said aloud.

Valborg nodded in confirmation.

Signe shook her head in wonderment, amazed by how quickly things could change. She felt badly for Lagertha, who had suffered at the hands of her atrocious husband one too many times, but, at the same time, she was proud that the woman she had long looked up to had finally taken matters into her own hands and done away with him. She made a mental note right then and there to stop by Lady Lagertha's hall – because it was now certainly her hall – when she went into town next so that she could talk with her and congratulate her on becoming Earl.

Nothing else of note had happened in Hedeby while they had been gone, they learned after that – Valborg and Ingelill had been busy with Gunnhild since her birth, while their father and brothers had been preoccupied preparing for winter and lending whatever help they could to Valborg's family. Hallsteinn, of course, had been spending a lot of time preparing for his upcoming move to Kattegat, a move, Valborg told them, that their father had not been keen on when he had learned of it.

"You know father," Valborg said with a shrug. "He would prefer it if we were all close by, especially after vhat happened to mother."

Signe nodded slowly, then glanced back at Torstein. He had clearly heard what Valborg had said, but his expression did not give away whatever he might be thinking. With a sigh, Signe turned her attention back to Valborg.

"Vhat does he think of Hallsteinn's move now?" she asked.

Valborg shrugged. "He knows there is no stopping Hallsteinn once he sets his mind to something. And since Hallsteinn is certainly set on moving to Kattegat, father has come to accept Hallsteinn's decision. It is obvious he is still not happy about it, though."

"That is good that he has accepted it, I suppose," Signe said with a nod. She shifted Gunnhild in her arms when the infant squirmed a little, then, once the baby had settled down again, she gave Valborg a hesitant look. "Was he angry that I stayed in Kattegat with Gunnar?"

Valborg shook his head. "He understood why you stayed. We all did. It was the only way that Gunnar vould have survived." Valborg grinned and clapped Gunnar on the shoulder. "Since he is alive and well, obviously it was a good decision to stay in the end," he said, sharing a smile with Gunnar. "He was quite angry with Hallsteinn and Garik for leaving you there, though," he admitted. "He worried for your safety, especially seeing as Gunnar was in no condition to protect you if trouble came along."

"My safety was never compromised in Kattegat," Signe reassured. "We spent the majority of our time with Torstein, actually," she revealed, shooting a smile at Torstein over her shoulder. "Trust when I say that he never vould have allowed any harm to come to me."

Torstein gave her a quick smile at those words. Valborg nodded, then turned a grateful look on Torstein. "Thank you for helping my brother and sister," he said sincerely. "And thank you for seeing them safely home. I am grateful to you."

"It was no trouble," Torstein said with a humble nod.

Signe smiled at the exchange, then turned forward again. She then glanced over and her eyes met those of Ingelill. The woman glanced pointedly at Torstein, raised her brows, then shifted her gaze forward again with a secret smile on her face. Signe said nothing of it, but she knew for certain in that moment that Ingelill would definitely be asking questions about Torstein later.

If she had thought she had been happy to see Hedeby and Valborg's home, the feeling paled in comparison to what she felt when they finally reached home. Everything looked exactly as it had when she had left, from the straw covering the roof to the plants growing in the yard to the chickens clucking away in their coup. It looked the same, it smelled the same, and T=the familiarity of it all sent a warm feeling straight to her heart.

She carefully handed Gunnhild to Valborg, then hurried to the front door. She pushed it open and stepped inside with Gunnar hot on her heels. "Father? Garik? Hallsteinn?" she called out eagerly, hoping to find them there.

But after a quick search of the quiet house they realized it was currently unoccupied, which had Signe sharing a disgruntled frown with Gunnar. "They are not here," Gunnar said, glancing back at Valborg with a frown when he, Ingelill, and Torstein stepped inside behind them.

"They must be out in the fields," Valborg said. He suddenly grinned. "This would be the perfect opportunity to surprise them," he suggested, handing Gunnhild to Ingelill. "Take the horses to the barn so that they vill not be seen, then wait in here. I vill bring them back, but vill not tell them you have arrived. They vill have no idea what awaits them!"

"Good idea, brother!" Gunnar said, nodding eagerly at the plan. "Come on, Torstein," he said, clapping the man on the shoulder as he headed for the door. "Let us put the horses away."

Torstein nodded, then, after shooting a small smile in Signe's direction, he followed Gunnar outside. Valborg trailed after them to go and collect the rest of the family, leaving Signe and Ingelill completely alone for the first time. As soon as the door shut behind the men, Ingelill raised her brows at Signe.

"Is there something going on between you and Torstein that I should know about?" she asked bluntly, shifting Gunnhild in her arms as she stepped closer.

Signe glanced at the door, then back to her sister-in-law. "It is…a bit complicated," she admitted with a sigh. "But there is something going on," she confirmed without going into detail.

Ingelill smirked. "I knew it! The way you were looking at each other said it all!" she said. Signe frowned, unsure just what her sister-in-law had seen to make her suspicious – did she and Torstein really look at each other in a certain way, or was Ingelill just imaging things? Before she could ask, Ingelill gave her a look of confusion. "What about Bjorn, though?" she asked. "Do you not care for him anymore?"

Signe sighed again at the mention of Bjorn. "That is also a bit complicated," she answered.

Ingelill seemed like she wanted to ask Signe more questions. Before she could, however, they were able to the sounds of Torstein's and Gunnar's voices as they left the barn and made their way back to the house. "We vill talk later," she said with a wink and a pat to Signe's shoulder. "I vant to know all about what is going on."

Signe smiled and nodded. A talk with Ingelill sounded like a very good thing indeed. After all, Ingelill was family, and when it came to matters of the heart, she had always proven to be one of her very best confidants. What better way to get some things off her mind than by talking to someone she trusted as much as her sister-in-law?

After Torstein and Gunnar joined them in the house, there was nothing to do but wait for Valborg to return with their father and brothers. Signe paced the house anxiously, too excited to see her family to truly take in and appreciate the familiar coziness of her childhood home. Torstein, she noticed, was walking around as well and gazing at everything with interest. Every so often their eyes would meet and they would share a small smile, but there was no conversation between them while they bided their time.

Finally, just as Signe and Gunnar were about to go mad with impatience, they heard voices outside. Signe and Gunnar grinned at each other and moved a little closer to the door, while Torstein and Ingelill moved back so that all the focus would be on the two siblings that had just returned. Bouncing on her feet with anticipation, Signe listened as the voices grew louder, eventually able to hear what was being said once they were closer.

"What is the rush, brother?" asked a familiar voice with slight exasperation. Her stomach jolted when she realized the voice belonged to Hallsteinn. "Has something happened? You are not behaving like yourself."

"Hallsteinn is right," another voice chimed in. That was Garik, and Signe saw Gunnar stand straighter as he heard his twin. "You are being strange. Are you up to something?" he then asked with suspicion.

She heard Valborg heave. They were so close. They would be walking through the door at any moment. "Would you two cease your incessant questions and just go inside?" Valborg demanded impatiently. "All will reveal itself soon enough."

Signe could see movement between the small cracks in the door. The door was pushed open in the next moment and the tall, blonde-haired Garik stepped through, but he was so busy looking back at Valborg as he stepped inside that he didn't even notice that Signe and Gunnar were there.

"I still say you are being very – "

Suddenly Garik turned forward and froze, stunned into silence when his eyes landed on Gunnar and Signe standing right there in front of him. Gunnar smirked and cocked an eyebrow at his twin, who was still as a statue and gaping at them like a fish out of water. "You were saying?" Gunnar prompted.

Garik never finished his sentence however, because he suddenly broke into a grin so wide it nearly split his face in two. "Gunnar!" he shouted, before rushing forward and enveloping his twin in a bone crushing hug.

The shout had Hallsteinn rushing inside next, who looked at the laughing, embracing twins before swinging his eyes to Signe. He soon let out an excited holler and then scooped her up, swinging her in a circle as he hugged her. Signe laughed and squeezed him tightly, kissing his bearded cheek as he set her down on her own two feet again.

"By the Gods!" Hallsteinn said, looking back and forth between her and Gunnar as if he couldn't believe they were actually there. "I can hardly believe my eyes!"

"I can hardly believe my own," Signe agreed with a huge smile. "But it is good to be back, and it is good to see your handsome face again, brother."

Hallsteinn laughed and hugged her again, until Garik finally separated from Gunnar and came over to forcibly remove Hallsteinn so that he could hug Signe next. Again, Signe found herself bombarded by the scent of sweat and home as Garik hugged her fiercely, and it all had her feeling so overwhelmed with happiness that she could hardly stand it. She swayed on the spot with Garik embracing him tightly, until she looked over his shoulder and her eyes landed on the two figures standing just inside the door. Valborg was there, but it was the man next to him that made her heart leap in her chest.

Her father.

Oleg had been watching the reunion with a small smile on his lips and pure joy in his one, brown eye, but when Signe's gaze met his, he smiled wider. Gently disentangling herself from Garik's arms, she stepped around her brother and went to her father, needing to hug him and be close to him after being away for so long. Oleg stepped forward to meet her, his one arm extending wide in invitation.

"Father!" she exclaimed, before hugging him tightly around the middle and burying her face into his strong, broad chest.

"My dear daughter," Oleg breathed, wrapping his arm securely around her shoulders and kissing the top of her head numerous times. "I have missed you more than words can say."

"And I have missed you," she said with an earnest nod. "I am sorry it took us so long to return, and I am sorry if we worried you," she began to apologize. "We had to wait. Gunnar was in such bad condition. I could not risk – "

Oleg gently shook his head to silence her. "You need not explain anything to me, Signe," he said with a smile of understanding. "You did what was necessary to save your brother. You did nothing wrong." Oleg smiled and reached up to touch her face, brushing a strand of auburn hair back behind her ear. "I am just happy to have you home again."

Signe felt a new wave of tears – this time of relief – spring to her eyes as she hugged her father again. Eventually she released him when Gunnar came over to greet Oleg next, looking quite emotional himself as Oleg embraced him tightly and murmured words in his ear that were meant only for him to hear. Signe soon found herself leaning against Valborg, who dropped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. Signe's eyes went from Oleg and Gunnar, who were still embracing each other, to Garik and Hallsteinn, who were grinning with joy at the reunion that had just taken place. She had seen them in her dreams dozens of times, she had thought about what their reunion would be like constantly, but to be back with them now and to have them in her arms again…it was exceeding all her expectations. There were simply no words to properly describe how truly happy she felt in this moment. For the first time in a long time, everything felt truly perfect.

No sooner had that thought passed through her mind, however, when Hallsteinn finally looked to where Torstein and Ingelill were standing and did a double take, a frown creasing his brows immediately. He had finally noticed Torstein, and just as she had knew would be the case, he did not look happy to see him.

"Vhat in Odin's name is he doing here?" Hallsteinn demanded, his eyes flashing to Signe's.

Every eye in the room turned to Torstein, who straightened his shoulders and stood a bit taller. He seemed uncomfortable with the attention, but looked as though he was doing his best to hide it. Signe sighed and slipped out from underneath Valborg's arm so that she could cross her arms over her chest and give Hallsteinn a firm look.

"Hallsteinn, do not start with that," she warned. "Not now."

"Actually, I would rather like to know why he is here as well," Garik agreed. He did not look as upset as Hallsteinn, but there was slight suspicion in his eyes as he looked at the Kattegat man.

"Torstein is here because he vanted to ensure that we arrived home safely," Gunnar spoke up, moving over to Torstein to clap him on the shoulder. "Worry not brothers, he has been a good friend to us. He is a good man," he added approvingly.

Signe felt a rush of gratitude for Gunnar for sticking up for Torstein. Garik seemed surprised, but Hallsteinn looked downright offended that Gunnar had dared to give Torstein any kind of approval. "Worry not? The man was sniffing all around our sister in Kattegat and now he has followed her home! No one else is concerned about this?"

"Brother – " Valborg started to say.

"Do not brother me," Hallsteinn interrupted. "I told you I did not trust him." He looked at Torstein and jutted his chin. "You vanted to see them here and now you have. I see no reason for you to linger."

Signe felt a flash of anger at his abrupt dismissal. She looked to Torstein, who did not seem overly surprised by Hallsteinn's reaction. He gazed back at her, then looked around at her family. "If my presence is a hindrance – " he started to say.

"It is not," Signe interrupted, glaring at her hot-headed brother. "Do not listen to Hallsteinn. You have traveled far out of your way as an exceedingly kind favor to us. You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you like."

"No, you are not," Hallsteinn argued, shooting her just as sharp of a look.

Signe opened her mouth to retaliate, but a new voice beat her to the punch. "If I might interject," Oleg said, stepping forward and drawing the attention of the room. "While I do value the opinions of my children, this is my house and it is my decision who stays in it," he said firmly. "Torstein is your name, yes?" he asked.

Torstein nodded. "It is."

Oleg gave him a quick once over. "I vill not deny that I have heard interesting things about you from my son," he said, which had Signe heaving and giving Hallsteinn a disapproving look. He just stared back unremorsefully. "But I also know that Signe has a good judge of character." Oleg then turned to her and raised his brows. "Vhat say you, daughter? Do you vouch for this man?"

Signe nodded immediately. "I do. He has been a great friend to me and to Gunnar and is a large part of the reason why we have been able to make it this far to begin with," she insisted. "Hallsteinn has misjudged him entirely."

"Signe is right," Gunnar interjected with a firm nod.

Hallsteinn scoffed and muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like the word traitor. Oleg spared Hallsteinn a glance, then nodded his understanding. "Very well, then." He went over to Torstein and extended a hand. "I am Oleg," he formally introduced.

Torstein quickly shook his hand. "It as an honor to meet you," be said with a respectful nod. "Signe and Gunnar have told me nothing but good things about you."

Oleg smiled slightly and inclined his head. "Well, if what Signe says about you is true, then it seems I must thank you for all you have done for her and Gunnar," he said gratefully. "Know that so long as you are in Hedeby, you are welcome here in our home."

Torstein looked happy to hear it, though the same could not be said for Hallsteinn, who scowled behind Oleg's back. "My thanks," Torstein said with a nod.

"Now," Oleg said, releasing Torstein's hand and turning a stern look on Hallsteinn. "Torstein is a guest in this house, which means he is to be treated with respect. I vill have no patience for petty arguing so long as you are under this roof. Is that understood?"

Signe resisted the urge to smirk with smug satisfaction as Hallsteinn grumbled under his breath moodily, looking more like a grumpy child than the grown man he was. "Understood," he said, albeit with a great deal of reluctance.

"Good," Oleg said with finality. He smiled then, and reached over to clasp Gunnar on the shoulder. "Enough of this uneasiness now. Today is a happy day, for today Signe and Gunnar have finally returned to us," he said with a nod. "I say this is more than enough cause for celebration, yes?"

"I believe you are correct, father," Valborg said, before moving to slap Hallsteinn on the back. "Come, brother. Let us go to town and fetch some ale. I think we will need quite a lot of it tonight."

Signe smiled at her oldest brother gratefully, recognizing easily that he was just trying to get Hallsteinn away from Torstein so as to avoid any further conflict and allow Hallsteinn to cool off. Valborg inclined his head to her with a knowing look, then left with Hallsteinn. Signe did not miss the way Hallsteinn shot one last glare at Torstein over his shoulder before leaving.

"I am going to start on supper then," Ingelill announced, stepping forward with a smile.

"I vill help you," Signe offered immediately, knowing very well that cooking alone for such a large group of people would be a lengthy process, and more than a little challenging.

Ingelill smiled. "I vould like that very much." She then glanced between Gunnar, Garik, and Oleg. "Who would like to be in charge of Gunnhild while we cook?" she asked.

Both of the twins immediately jumped at the chance to hold the baby, but Oleg quickly waved them off and went to collect Gunnhild himself. Once Gunnhild was held securely in his one, strong arm, he turned a look on the twins. "I will watch the babe," he said. "Gunnar looks in need of a good washing after his time on the road, as does our guest. No offence intended," he said to Torstein.

"None taken," Torstein replied with a smirk.

"How about the two of you show Torstein where he can get cleaned up, then get yourselves clean for dinner as well, yes?" Oleg suggested to the twins.

The twins nodded, then Gunnar beckoned Torstein toward the door. "Come on, then," he urged. "Follow us."

Torstein nodded and trailed after the twins as they headed for the door. His eyes met Signe's along the way, which had her nodding to him and shooting a quick, encouraging smile. Torstein gave her a small smile of his own, then finally left with the twins, shutting the door behind him. Signe stared at the space he had just been in for a moment, but finally looked away when she felt eyes on her. Glancing to the left, she saw that her father was watching her with curiosity, having obviously noticed the small interaction between her and Torstein. Signe said just blushed before quickly turning to join Ingelill in the kitchen.

---

Signe and Ingelill cooked an absolute feast of a meal, knowing they would have to outdo themselves if they were going to satisfy the stomachs of six fully grown men. They prepared meats and vegetables to be served with cheese and bread, filling so many serving platters with food that there was hardly any room on the table left once they had laid everything out. Valborg and Hallsteinn eventually returned with the ale, bringing back at least a dozen tankards of the potent alcohol for the night's festivities. Once everyone had cleaned up for supper and squeezed around the dinner table, ale was quickly distributed to everyone and they toasted to the fact that they were all finally back under the same roof again. Then it was time to dig in to all the delicious food.

Dinner was a very happy occasion. They talked and laughed and ate for what felt like hours, and everyone was in very high spirits. Even Hallsteinn was having a good time despite his earlier anger over Torstein being invited to stay with them. Granted, he had chosen to sit as far away from Torstein as possible and seemed to be doing his best not to talk directly to the man, but she figured that was better than him arguing with or attempting to fight Torstein, so she wasn't going to complain about that. Instead, she just sat squashed between Torstein and Ingelill throughout dinner, talking cheerfully with Torstein and her family and frequently leaning over to coo at and bestow affection upon her niece, who was resting comfortably in Ingelill's arms while they ate. All the while, ale was flowing freely, and there wasn't a single moment where anyone's drinking cup was allowed to go empty.

After dinner, the men went to drink ale by the hearth while Signe and Ingelill cleaned up in the kitchen. It was fun to wash dishes and sing songs with Ingelill, listening the laughter of the men as they talked behind them – it was normal, and it was just yet another reminder that she was well and truly home. Once they had finished with the kitchen, they refilled their drinks and went to join the men. Signe soon found herself roped into a drinking game with Hallsteinn and the twins, despite her protests and her insistence that she was awful at the game they were playing and would wind up far too drunk by the end of the night. They had wanted to hear nothing of it, however, and left her with no choice but to join them.

Maybe it was because of the drink in her system, or maybe it was just because she now felt extra aware of everything Torstein did and said – either way, she frequently found her gaze drawn to Torstein as the hours ticked by and their celebrations continued. He spent a considerable amount of time talking to Valborg and Ingelill, both of whom seemed to like him, Signe noticed with satisfaction. No doubt Valborg was curious to hear about his adventures with Earl Ragnar, and Torstein seemed more than happy to oblige him the stories. She also saw him talking to her father for a long while, and she was rather pleased to see that they seemed to be getting along just fine as well. Eventually, though, he was lured into their drinking game by the twins, who demanded he join them and refused to stop pestering him until he finally did so. Hallsteinn not so discreetly got up to leave when Torstein joined them, but nobody said anything of it.

Torstein, as it turned out, was even worse at the drinking game that Signe was. She tried very hard to explain the rules as best as she could and to give him as many pointers as possible, but the game was an overly complicated one that the twins had made up, and it was usually difficult for first-time players to get the hang of it – actually, it was just difficult for anyone who wasn't Gunnar or Garik to get the hang of it. Torstein and Signe humored the twins and played with them or a little while longer, but when their alcohol consumption was becoming so frequent that it was starting to make them feel a little sick, they finally bowed out of the game and declared the triumphant looking twins the winners.

She and Torstein went to sit with Oleg, Valborg, and Ingelill, where they soon found themselves being asked all about the battle against Jarl Borg. The three had heard about it already from Hallsteinn and Garik, of course, but had insisted they wanted to hear it from their perspectives as well. Signe and Torstein retold the tale, from Earl Ragnar taking the small party to burn the food supply in Kattegat and draw out Jarl Borg, to how they had fooled the Jarl into thinking Earl Ragnar fought only with his small band of warriors when really they had an entire, strong army behind them, to, eventually, how they had saved one another's lives on the battlefield.

"The Götaland man was an absolute giant," Signe recounted, holding her hands out wide to try to visually show how massive he had been. "I tried to fight him off, but he was too big and far too strong. He likely vould have killed me, had Torstein not intervened when he did," she said, flashing a smile at Torstein now. "He blocked the blow that vould have ended me, then made quick work of disposing of the Götaland man himself," she concluded.

"It is a good thing Torstein was there," Valborg offered, looking a little disturbed by the story of Signe's near death experience.

"Indeed," Signe agreed. "You should have seen him fighting. It was very impressive."

"Signe exaggerates," Torstein said in a modest tone that contradicted the small smirk on his face.

"I do not," Signe insisted, giving Torstein a look and a quick shove to his shoulder. "You are a very skilled fighter. There is no need to be modest about it."

"Then how about we talk of your skills in battle?" he countered with a quick of his brow. "Vhat Signe has failed to mention is that she saved my life only moments later," he said, turning his attention back to their audience. "After I killed the Götaland man, another warrior was coming up behind me to kill me. Signe stopped him, thus saving me from vhat would have surely been my death. We fought side by side after that, and I was able to witness firsthand how strong a fighter she truly is." Torstein smiled and inclined his head to her. "You have raised a very strong woman, Oleg."

"Indeed I have," Oleg agreed with a smile. Signe just blushed from all the compliments. "It sounds as if you fought well, though I am not surprised to hear that. I knew from the moment that you picked up a shield and axe that you vould be a formidable fighter. I am proud of you, Signe, both for your performance in battle and for saving this man's life," he said, nodding to Torstein.

Signe smiled widely, her heart swelling at the praise. "Thank you, father."

Oleg nodded, then looked to Torstein. "And to you, Torstein, I must express my utmost gratitude. It is because of you that my daughter sits here before me today. I cannot thank you enough for what you have done, not just for Signe, but for this family."

Torstein inclined his head respectfully. "You are welcome."

Oleg raised his cup to Torstein. "Skål," he said.

Everyone else raised their cups, too, and clinked them together. "Skål!" they echoed.

Signe and Torstein shared a smile with one another before taking a drink of their ale. When Signe finally looked away from him, she noticed Ingelill glancing between the two of them with a knowing smirk on her face. Upon seeing that she had caught Signe's attention, Ingelill nodded discreetly toward the door, signaling that she wished to speak with Signe alone.

"If you vould excuse me, everyone, all the ale seems to have caught up to me," Signe announced as she stood from her seat. "I need to step outside for a few moments."

"I think I do as well, actually," Ingelill agreed, gently passing Gunnhild over to Valborg as she, too, stood from her chair. "I vill come with you."

Signe nodded, and with that she and Ingelill headed for the door, leaving the men to watch them go. Once they were out in the fresh air, Signe had to suck in a deep breath, finding that it actually was nice to get away from the smoke of the hearth and the strong stench of ale inside. Ingelill quickly shut the door behind then, then grabbed Signe by the arm and dragged her off toward the barn, where they would be able to speak without fear of being overheard. The moment they were alone, Signe's sister-in-law rounded on her with eager eyes.

"I have been dying to speak to you about Torstein all night," she said, grabbing Signe by the hands and giving them a squeeze. "After that display, I can resist no longer. Vhat is happening between the two of you, Signe?" she demanded to know.

Signe glanced toward the house, then down at Ingelill. She had known this conversation would come, but she was still wary to reveal Torstein's proposal simply because she did not want the news to spread to her brothers before she had even given Torstein an answer. "If I tell you, you must swear not to tell any of my brothers. Not even Valborg," she said firmly.

Ingelill blinked in surprise, realized then that the situation must have been serious, and nodded. "I swear it vill remain between us," she promised.

Signe nodded, then finally sucked in a deep breath and decided to just come out with the truth. "Torstein has asked me to become his wife," she revealed.

Ingelill gaped at her in shock. "What?" she hissed, sounding equal parts surprised and excited. "When?"

"A few days past," Signe answered.

"And vhat answer did you give him?" Ingelill asked next.

Signe shrugged. "I have not given him one yet," she admitted. "I was going to earlier, but Gunnar interrupted before I could."

Ingelill took a step closer, squeezing Signe's hands earnestly. "Well, vhat was the answer going to be?" she prompted.

Signe just gave her a meaningful look, one that silently said everything Ingelill needed to know.

Ingelill seemed torn as to how she should feel about this news. She looked as though she wanted to feel happy for Signe, but she also seemed rather confused by the whole thing. "This is happy news, Signe. Torstein seems a good man, and I can tell there is a great deal of admiration between the two of you. But…what about Bjorn?" she asked uncertainly.

Signe sighed, her chest tightening as her friend's face flashed through her mind. "There is nothing between me and him, Ingelill," she said with a sad shake of her head. "I told Bjorn the truth of my feelings in Kattegat, and he rejected me," she then revealed. "He does care for someone…but that someone is not me."

Ingelill pressed a hand to her mouth, her eyes filling with sympathy at once. As much as Signe had thought that she was finally beginning to move past the pain of Bjorn's rejection, to retell it now and relive through that awful moment made her quickly realized that it still a very sensitive subject. She felt a dull ache form in her heart, a distinct sadness washing over her. She was glad when Ingelill stepped forward to hug her tightly and returned the woman's embrace, leaning on her for support.

"I am sorry, Signe," Ingelill said, rubbing her back soothingly. "I know how deeply you felt for him. I am sorry he has hurt you so."

Signe shook her head as they parted way again. "It is better to know the truth so that I may finally move on," she said with a shrug. "He is not the one the Gods wish me to be with. It is simple as that."

Ingelill nodded slowly, then cocked her head to the side. "Are you certain that Torstein is?" she asked with skepticism. "It is just…this all seems rather sudden, do you not think so?" she pointed out. "You have only known him a short while."

Signe thought about it, then nodded slowly. "I spoke to the Völva before we came home, and after what she told me, I think I do. I do not love him, I can admit to that," she told Ingelill, which made the woman frown a little. "But he is a good man. And I do care for him as a friend and companion. We work well together, and I think…I think a marriage between us vould work as well."

Ingelill nodded in understanding. "You are a smart woman, Signe. I know you vill do what you think is best." Ingelill reached for her hand again. "All I vant if for you to be happy. If you think marrying Torstein vill bring you that happiness, if you think it is the best thing for you to do…then know that I vill support you in your decision, sister," she concluded with a firm nod.

Signe smiled, then engulfed the woman in a hug again. It was good to know that no matter what, Ingelill was going to be on her side. "Thank you, Inge," she said gratefully.

"You are welcome."

They parted when they heard the sound of the front door opening, followed by the familiar voice of Valborg. "Inge? Inge, my love?" he called, his tone urgent.

When they heard a cry from Gunnhild next, Ingelill grabbed Signe's hand and, together, they exited the barn to see what Valborg needed. They found him standing just outside the house, still holding a now very fussy Gunnhild, but there was an expression on his face that hinted he was fighting the urge to be sick. Signe could clearly see why – her eldest brother's shirt was covered in what appeared to be vomit.

"What is wrong?" Ingelill asked as they hurried over.

"Gunnhild got a bit sick," he said, scrunching his nose. "And if I do not get cleaned up, I may very well be sick myself," he warned.

Signe had to smirk in amusement – her big, strong, warrior brother couldn't handle a bit of baby vomit? "Surely it cannot be that bad," she teased. "You have seen worse vomit from Hallsteinn and the twins."

Valborg pulled a face. "Yes, but usually they do not throw up on me," he pointed out sourly.

Ingelill quickly grabbed Gunnhild, cooing over the small, whimpering girl and wiping at her little face. "You poor thing. Did something make you ill?" she asked in a gentle, soothing tone, gently patting the girl's back.

Signe frowned at Gunnhild with sympathy, not liking the idea of her sweet little niece feeling sick. "How about the two of you return home? Gunnhild seems as if she has had quite enough for one night," she suggested, not wanting them to feel obligated to stay when they had a young child to care for.

"But the celebration – " Valborg started to say.

"Has gone on quite long enough," Signe interrupted gently. "Go home. Take care of yourself and your daughter. Gunnar and I vill still be here in the morning, I promise," she said with a smile.

Valborg nodded, and since they now had her blessing to leave, he turned an expectant look on Ingelill. "Shall we then?"

After Ingelill nodded in agreement, they all went back inside so that Valborg and Ingelill could say their goodbyes to everyone else.

The two made the rounds, allowing everyone in the family the chance to kiss Gunnhild goodnight – even Torstein was able to pet the fussy little girl's head with one large, tanned hand. After Signe hugged Ingelill, kissed Gunnhild, and patted her rather disgusting smelling brother on the back, the two finally departed. The celebration did not last for much longer after that – they stayed up long enough for one more round, but Oleg finally decided to call it a night when he noticed that Gunnar, who was still nowhere near back to his full strength, was struggling to keep his eyes open.

"It has been a very long day, and some of us have traveled very far. Perhaps it is best if we all get some decent rest," Oleg suggested to them all as he stood from his chair. "Garik, Hallsteinn, I trust you can get your brother into his bed?"

The two nodded, and, together, they lifted Gunnar up so that he was braced between them and helped him stumble his way toward the twins' bedroom. Once they were gone, Oleg turned to Torstein and raised his brows.

"You may sleep in here tonight, Torstein," he said with a nod, before looking to Signe next. "There are spare blankets in my bedroom that you may lend to him. If you vill follow me, I vill show you where they are."

Signe nodded, and after glancing briefly at Torstein, she followed her father into his bedroom. She knew very well where the spare blankets were, of course, because she had fetched them to put together makeshift beds for Bjorn more times than she could count. Something told her that her father wished to speak with her alone, however, so she obediently went with him.

Oleg went to a trunk in the corner and opened it, pulling out two blankets and a small pillow, smiling a bit as he turned back to Signe. "These should do well enough for our guest," he said, passing the items over.

"I think so," Signe agreed as she took them.

Oleg turned back to close the trunk, then faced Signe again. He stared at her for a moment, his one, dark eye studying her closely, before he sighed and stepped closer. He touched her cheek, affection filling his gaze as he smiled down at her. "I am so happy to have you home, daughter," he said. "It has not been the same vithout you."

Signe nodded. "I am happy to be home. I have missed our home. And I have missed you."

Oleg nodded. "I missed you, too, Signe. And I worried for you," he admitted. He took a deep breath, then smiled. "But I knew you vould return home, and I knew you vould be alright," he said with confidence. "I know I have said it once already tonight, but I feel I must say it again – I am so proud of you."

Signe smiled widely. "You are?" she asked humbly.

Oleg nodded. "Very. You fought well in battle. You saved not only Torstein's life, but also Gunnar's. Because of you, I did not lose my son, and your brothers did not lose a brother." Oleg gave her a firm look. "You are strong, Signe, in mind and in body. There are no words to properly say how proud I am of the woman you have become. And I know that if your mother were here, she would say the same."

Signe pressed her lips together, then hugged her father tightly around the middle. He wrapped a strong arm around her, kissing the top of her head as he held her securely to his chest. She couldn't help feeling a little emotional, not just because she valued her father's opinion and because it made her so happy to hear his praise and approval, but also because even now, the mere mention of her mother was enough to send an ache through her heart.

"Do you think she saw me in battle?" Signe asked, lifting her head to peer up at Oleg.

Oleg nodded. "I do," he said without hesitation. "And I know she was watching with pleasure and delight as you triumphed over your enemy. No doubt she has been celebrating your victory in Valhalla every day since," he said with a small laugh.

Signe grinned at the thought. "I hope so."

Oleg leaned down to kiss her forehead, then finally patted her shoulder. "We have much to talk about still," he said, "but it is late, and I am quite tired," he admitted sheepishly. "Let us sleep. We vill speak more tomorrow, yes?"

Signe nodded, before stretching up to kiss his cheek. "I love you, father."

Oleg smiled and touched her cheek. "I love you, too."

They hugged once more, before Signe finally left the room, sending one last smile in his direction as she went.

Shutting Oleg's door behind her, she carried the blankets and the pillow he had given her to the living room to deliver them to Torstein. She stopped short upon entering the room, however, when she discovered that Hallsteinn had returned to the living room while she had been in Oleg's room. He and Torstein were standing a few feet apart, Hallsteinn looking rather tense and threatening while Torstein seemed surprisingly calm and collected. Signe eyed her brother, glanced at Torstein, then looked back to Hallsteinn.

"Vhat is going on?" she asked carefully, her eyes wary as she stepped further into the room.

"Just having a few last words with Torstein before I return home," Hallsteinn answered, his eyes never leaving Torstein. "What say you, Torstein? Have I made myself clear?" he asked, referring to whatever he had said before Signe had entered the room.

Torstein nodded once. "Very."

"Good."

Hallsteinn stared at him a moment longer, before finally turning to face Signe. His shoulders relaxed as he stepped closer, taking a moment to kiss her on the temple and smile down at her, now acting as if he hadn't just been threatening Torstein with only the Gods knew what. "I am happy you are home, sister. I vill see you in the morning."

Signe nodded, though she was still frowning with uncertainty. "Yes, see you in the morning."

Hallsteinn patted her shoulder, shot Torstein one last look, then finally left. Once he was gone and Signe was alone with Torstein again, she turned back to the tall blonde and raised her brows at him. "Vhat was that about?"

Torstein shrugged and waved a dismissive hand. "Hallsteinn merely vanted to be sure that I understood I vould lose a very significant part of my anatomy if I so much as even thought about going anywhere near your room tonight," he said with nonchalance, not sounding very intimidated at all by the threat.

Signe heaved and rolled her eyes. "Overprotective fool," she muttered, though not without a tiny hint of fondness. He was annoying, yes, but he was her brother. Him being an overprotective idiot was normal, and she had, in a way, missed it. "I am sorry for him. Though if it makes you feel any better, he makes these sort of threats against everyone. So try not to take it personally."

Torstein smirked. "I am not offended. I think I am actually starting to become immune to his behavior, truth be told."

Signe smiled. "Good. When it comes to my brothers, having a thick skin vill get you very far," she said with a small laugh.

Torstein just smiled and nodded in response.

They stood there for a moment, merely staring at one another in silence, neither making any move to do or say anything. When the fire in the hearth popped, it brought life back to Signe's limbs. She stepped forward so that she stood before Torstein and held out the blankets and pillow in offering. He took them slowly, his fingers tips brushing against her hands as he did so.

Signe felt a jolt in response to his touch. "These should see you through the night," she said after clearing her throat.

"Thank you," he said, before setting the blankets on a nearby chair.

Signe took a step back, wringing her hands together unconsciously as silence passed between them again. "If you need anything, my room is there," she said, pointing to the closed door. "Do not hesitate to knock."

Torstein nodded slowly in understanding, his eyes never leaving her face. With that being said, Signe gave him a jittery smile and turned to leave. Before she could get far, however, Torstein stopped her by locking a gentle hand around her wrist. "Signe," he said. When she turned back to meet his gaze, he raised his brows. "We still have not talked about what happened with the Seeress earlier today," he reminded her. "Perhaps we should do so now, while we are alone?" he then suggested.

Signe felt nervousness bloom in her stomach. He was right – there was no better time to discuss it than now. But she knew the discussion would ultimately end in her finally giving him an answer to his proposal, and once she did, there would be no going back. Everything would change, and to acknowledge that fact was as terrifying as it was exciting.

Signe hesitated, then finally decided there was no use drawing out the matter any further than they already had. "The Völva had…interesting things to say," she told him with a nod. "Before I went to Kattegat, she told me I would be marrying soon, sooner than I might have planned for. At the time, I believed it was Bjorn I vould be marrying. After speaking to her today, however, I know that I was wrong. The Gods never intended for me to be Bjorn's wife."

Torstein nodded slowly. "What else did she tell you?"

Signe gazed up at him intently, noting the anticipation glimmering in his blue eyes. She was unsure how much she wanted to reveal to him, simply because the conversations she had with the Seeress were private and she normally liked to keep them to herself. "I do not wish to go into detail," she finally said. "But know that she has made me see things differently than I had before," she told him with a nod. "She has opened my eyes to new possibilities, and it has led me to believe that perhaps you were right. Maybe a marriage between us is not as mad of an idea as I initially thought," she admitted.

Torstein pulled her a fraction closer. "Do you have an answer then?" he asked with a hint of eagerness.

Signe gulped, then nodded. "I believe I do," she said. "But…"

Signe trailed off, her eyes searching his face intently. The moment to give him that answer was upon her, but she couldn't get the words past her lips. Ingelill seemed to sense they had a connection, and the Völva seemed to think marriage between her and Torstein would work, but what if they were both wrong? What if they married and it turned into a complete and utter disaster? She had only said that love could form in the future, not that it would form. And with how little romantic interaction hey had had with one another, Signe couldn't help but feel swarmed with doubts. The kiss they had shared had been good and had made her think that a romantic relationship might be possible, but what if it had been a fluke? What if she had merely gotten caught up in the moment? What if they discovered far too late that there was nothing romantic between them at all, and then they spent the rest of the lives doomed to a loveless, lacking marriage?

Signe gulped and stepped closer, feeling like there was one more thing she needed to do before she decided. And there was just enough ale in her belly to make her feel brave enough to do it. "Before I answer, there is something I must do, Torstein," she told him seriously.

Torstein blinked, looking confused. "Alright?" he said unsurely.

Before he could do or say anything else, Signe stepped in close, placed her hands on either side of his neck, and pulled his lips down to hers for a kiss. Torstein was surprised at first, but recovered quickly enough, his long arms winding around her waist and pulling her in close as he kissed her back.

This kiss wasn't like their first one. It was better. There was a different sort of feeling to this kiss – there was an urgency and a hunger that had not been there before. Fire shot through her, heating her limbs and blood as her lips danced with his. Signe leaned into him, her arms sliding around his neck as he held her to his chest, a quiet sound of approval escaping her throat when he deepened the kiss, their tongues meeting eagerly. He tasted of ale, but she found that she didn't care. The way he was kissing her, the way he held her, was making her quickly forget about anything and everything else.

Signe finally pulled her mouth from his, but she did not pull away from his embrace completely. They stood there for a few moments, both of them breathing heavier than usual as they stared at one another. Her heart was pounding against her ribs and her nerves felt as if they had been struck by a lightening bolt. The way his kiss affected her let her know that that there was something between them, something that was undeniable. Something that, if given the opportunity, might grow into something good someday. And that was all the push she needed to finally make her decision.

"My answer is yes," Signe said while she still had the nerve, her eyes holding his intently. "I will marry you, Torstein."

Torstein's smile was immediate. "Really?" he asked, as if he couldn't believe what she had said.

Signe nodded. "Yes."

Torstein nodded with satisfaction, looking very pleased with her answer as he grinned down at her. "I am happy to hear you say it, Signe," he told her. "I promise you I will do everything in my power to give you a happy life," he said, his tone serious. "You will not regret this decision, I swear it."

Signe smiled, then raised her brows. "I might not regret it, but you might," she said, gently disentangling herself from his arms. When Torstein frowned with confusion, she couldn't resist smirking at him. "You have just secured yourself a lifetime of having to deal with my brothers."

Torstein laughed at that and shook his head. "I think I vill be able to manage," he said with confidence.

"I hope so," Signe responded. "We should tell them in the morning. The sooner they know the better," she continued with a nod. "Though I suggest we speak with my father, first. Technically you do still need to ask his permission to marry me," she pointed out.

Torstein suddenly frowned, looking a tiny bit apprehensive. "I am more than happy to do so, but…what if he says no?" he asked unsurely.

Signe shook her head. "Do not worry. He vill say yes," she said with confidence, already knowing that Oleg would agree so long as it was what she wanted.

"Alright," Torstein said, though he didn't sound completely convinced.

They stood there in silence for a few moments, before Signe decided that they had said all there was to say. "I am going to retire now," she said. She hesitated, then placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Goodnight," she told him quietly.

Torstein smiled, then inclined his head to her. "Goodnight, Signe."

She lingered for only a moment longer, then finally turned and headed for her bedroom, able to feel his eyes on her the entire way. She paused at the door to look back at the man who was now her betrothed, giving him one last small smile. Then she finally went into her bedroom and quietly shut the door behind her.

---

She said yes! I mean, I'm sure you guys expected it, but…she said yes! Now how do you think the rest of the family is going to react? Find out in the next chapter!